Fort Lauderdale, FL March 12, 2018: The Masonry Association of Florida (MAF) has hired Donna Hinson to fill the critical role of the MAF State Executive Director. MAF State Chairman Jerry Painter said the board voted unanimously at their 1st Quarter Board meeting on the decision to offer Ms. Hinson the position. “Donna thankfully accepted,” said Painter. “Donna has a long history within the masonry industry. We are all very happy to open a new chapter in the Masonry Association of Florida with having a full-time executive director. Through her leadership we will continue to further on the MAF mission to educating the masonry industry decision makers on the benefits of masonry construction.” “I am honored to accept this position and I look forward to working with our current members. Together, we will expand our membership base and continue to promote masonry by educating builders, educators, and the public on the strength and sustainability of masonry”, stated Hinson. Donna holds a B.A. in Economics from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Donna gained extensive experience in management, sales, and finance while working for several Fortune 500 companies, including AT&T and Morgan Stanley, as well as Florida Masonry Contractors. Among her accomplishments, she facilitated critical cost-saving measures for several companies during periods of slow economic growth. She was a key participant in the merger of multiple businesses, streamlining a set of best practices for the newly formed company and thereby ensuring its future success. Donna has developed innovative safety programs and human-resource initiatives for several companies so as to ensure a safe work environment for their employees while also saving the companies time and money. Most recently she worked for the Florida Masonry Apprentice and Educational Foundation as the Apprentice Coordinator of the Masonry Apprentice Programs in the West Coast Region. During her tenure as coordinator, she expanded the program by more than 400%. |
### The Masonry Association of Florida, Inc. (MAF) is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1987. Our mission is to promote masonry construction, provide professional education to construction decision makers and support the mason contractors in Florida. Additional information is available on our website: www.floridamasonry.com or by contacting, Deb Bartolucci, 954-295-9926 or deb@floridamasonry.com.
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![]() Masonry Testing Protocols HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope everyone had a great 2017. I am believing that it will be a better than ever year for the masonry industry in 2018. As I began to think about starting a new year, I looked at it similar to starting a new building project. As you review the specifications for the materials you will submit for approval you see the section on quality assurance. If it is a small project you will probably take care of it with paper work in your submittal. But if the project is a large project, it will probably include onsite testing. Serious thought and planning should be put into the testing procedures to be used. Chapter 3 of the TMS 402 Code says that “Masonry design requirements in this Code are valid when the quality of the masonry construction meets or exceeds that described in the Specification.” The designer will set up the QA (Quality Assurance) Program based on one of three requirement levels. The program will also describe the procedure for reporting and review as well as resolution of non-compliance. The QA Program will also state the qualifications of the testing laboratory and inspection provider. You will notice the last three sentences had mandatory language, such as “will” in them. This is not optional. If this is not provided, you should... Masonry: the Intersection of Art, Innovation and Endurance.
2017 Masonry Association of Florida Masonry Excellence Award Winners Fort Lauderdale, Florida. October 1, 2017: Art, Innovation and Endurance: the projects submitted for the 2017 MAF Masonry Excellence Awards are the embodiments of these qualities. The Masonry Excellence Awards are the celebration of the art and craftsmanship of the mason, the innovation of the contractor and architect and the endurance of masonry materials produced here in Florida. Projects submitted were reviewed and judged anonymously by a distinguished jury of masonry and design professionals. Consideration was given to the overall design and use of masonry, as well as the technical aspects of each project. The winning projects listed showed superiority in technical design and craftsmanship. 17 Masonry Excellence Award Winners: Architectural Block – Commercial/Institutional: St. Anthony’s Parochial School – Doug McCall, Coastal, an Oldcastle company. Brick – Commercial/Institutional (Contractors): Portillos Restaurant – Bill Parsons, Pyramid Masonry Brick – Commercial/Institutional (Suppliers): Sigma Kappa Sorority – Steve Bischke, Coastal, an Oldcastle company. Brick – Residential (TIE): Private Residence – David Nelson, David Nelson Masonry Studer Residence – James Bradley, Bradley Masonry Architectural Block Project of the Year: St. Anthony’s Parochial School – Doug McCall, Coastal, an Oldcastle company. Brick Project of The Year: Private Residence – David Nelson, David Nelson Masonry For more Information and pictures of all submissions is available on www.masonryawards.com Winners will be honored at the MAF Masonry Excellence Awards Reception being held on October 22, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida. Additionally, winning projects will be featured in the MAF Masonry Excellence Awards publication. The Masonry Association of Florida, Inc. (MAF) is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1987. Our mission is to promote masonry construction and support the mason contractors in Florida. Additional information is available on our website: www.floridamasonryawards.com or by contacting, Deb Bartolucci, 954-295-9926 or deb@floridamasonry.com. # # # ![]() Have you ever had someone or something encroach on your personal space so badly that you wanted to scream “Back Off!”? So how close is too close? When my daughters were in high school, they went to a school that had a “Six Inch Rule”. Boys and girls had a 6” rule of separation. Now, as most of you fathers of daughters know, six inches is simply not enough! A distance that can be critical for a masonry contractor is the distance from which masonry should be viewed to determine its acceptability. If we have reached the point of trying to view the masonry from a certain distance, we already have a problem. Read the whole story here: https://www.masonrymagazine.com/blog/2017/06/01/painters-corner-mcaa-magazine-2/ ![]() Painter's Corner - MCAA Magazine What can I do about congestion? The short answer is take an anti-histamine and call your doctor. Oh, not that type of congestion! That’s a sinus problem and all in your head anyway! Congestion in a concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall creates frustration and aggravation for the mason. This leads to lower productivity and the possibility of mistakes by actions or omissions. Add it all together and you have created the potential for a less than expected quality product. “Congested” is defined as something being too full or overcrowded. There are several ways that CMU wall can suffer from congestion. The main contributors to the clutter in the CMU wall are the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades. Masonry is the only one of the three major wall types that is expected to accommodate their “stuff” as we build the wall. Wood and stud walls are built and then the MEP folks do their rough install. On the other hand, we (masonry) are expected to install piping, boxes, conduit, holes for duct work, etc. the accumulation of these things created congestion. Read the full article: https://www.masonrymagazine.com/blog/2017/05/01/painters-corner-mcaa-magazine/ The categories for the 2017 Masonry Excellence Awards Program will follow the same format as last year, as part of our partnership with the AIA of Florida, we are awarding honors in three main categories:
An overall winner from each of the main categories, as well as one Project of the Year will be featured in a supplemental publication going to all 4400 AIA Florida member architects in the state. Deadline for entries is July 1, 2017. Please submit your entry online at: www.masonryawards.com If you have questions, please contact Masonry Excellence Awards Chairman Chris Bettinger chris.bettinger@oldcastle.com or MAF Marketing Director, Deb Bartolucci deb@floridamasonry.com. QUESTION: What is the tolerance of a CMU wall? How far out of plumb can a CMU wall be and still be
within code? As everyone should be aware the “code” in question is the “Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures” (aka, TMS 402/602). The answer to the question is found in TMS Specification Article 3.3F titled “Site Tolerances”, which gives several construction tolerances. Read more>
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